10 tips for getting the most out of your networking

There’s somehow something that sounds so false about the concept of “networking,” a word that didn’t even enter our lexicon until 1966. Maybe because it’s so often practiced in a way that seems smarmy and inauthentic. True connecting, however, has its place in the business world and is the most effective and rewarding ways to build your brand, attract a loyal client base, and truly enjoy your work.

In his book Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi contends that building a strong network of relationships that expand to a variety of social spheres will not only improve your bottom line but will also help you create a career life that is more meaningful and enjoyable.

I recommend reading the entire book but I’ve synopsized his ten most salient points below.

1. Don’t Keep Score. Don’t always be expecting someone to return a favor, but also be just as willing to accept help from people as you are offering it to others. Be humble and realize that we all need each other to succeed. When someone offers you free advice, connects you with someone who can help your business, or refers a client, be gracious and appreciative. Ferrazzi writes, “If your interactions are ruled by generosity, your rewards will follow suit.”

2. Determine Your Mission. In 1953, Yale asked that year’s class  whether they had set goals, written them down and determined a plan to accomplish them. In 1973, the differences between the goal setters and the rest of the class was astounding. “The 13 percent who had goals that were not in writing were earning…twice as much as the 84 percent of students who had no goals…the 3 percent who had written their goals down were earning…ten times as much as the 97 percent of graduates combined.” I’m not sure you can make a stronger case for adopting the habit of writing down your goals. Ferrazzi recommends planning goals as much as three years in advance and breaking goals down into steps and setting deadlines as you would in an action plan.

3. Be Audacious. Approach people whom you admire no matter how intimidating they may seem. This applies to self-improvement, too. Be proactive and bold yet humble enough to ask for help to strengthen the skills you may lack. Seek out a mentor, learn to be a public speaking pro, get involved in clubs, make it a point to meet with one new person each week, and be willing to consider therapy to overcome social anxieties or irrational fears.

4. Don’t Be a Jerk. This one sounds obvious, but we’ve all met unsavory types at networking events — the eye-darters, phonies, and the gossips. Strive to be sincere, give people your undivided attention while you’re talking to them, do your part to keep the conversation flowing, and treat everyone with respect.

5. Do Your Homework. For those people you expect to meet at specific events, research their business and career so you’ll be prepared to better converse. It can be as easy as Googling them. Also look them up on LinkedIn to see what shared contacts you may have and ask for an introduction. Ferrazzi advises “warming” up cold calls with this approach as well.

6. Don’t Go to Networking Events. While it sounds contradictory, Ferrazzi argues that occasions that tout themselves as “networking” events are typically full of people with little to offer — the jobless, the people with too much time on their hands, and dilettantes. Seek out organizations that appeal to your passions — rock climbing, cooking, connecting with other women — are better ways to build rich relationships.

7. Never Eat Alone. Fill up your social calendar as much as possible by making lunch dates and even be willing to host dinners in your home, a restaurant, or your place of business. According to Ferrazzi, “A network is like a muscle – the more you work it, the bigger it gets.”

8. Follow up or Fail. Send emails to people you meet or, better yet, send them a card. After you’ve met, send them another card to thank them for the meeting. Haven’t seen someone for a few months. Send them a card to say “hi” and suggest meeting for coffee. Build the habit of following up with people all of the time. You’ll stay in the forefront of people’s minds and build stronger, richer relationships.

9. Be a Conference Commando. Offer conference organizers help to get the inside scoop on the event and off-the-agenda cocktail parties. Organize a conference within a conference by sending out invites to a select few and arranging your own dinner, historical tour, golf game or other group activity.

10. Master the Art of Small Talk. Though we’ve been conditioned our whole lives to limit small talk among new acquaintances to superficial topics like sports, gardening and pop culture, Ferrazzi recommend letting your guard down a bit in order to truly connect with people in meaningful ways. He relates a story about doing this at a conference after getting word that his wife wanted a divorce. Instead of playing it cool he told the woman next to him what had happened and, before he knew it, the entire table had livened up with a fascinating conversation about marriage, dating and other personal issues. Of course, you have to be somewhat careful and not “overshare” and be sure to gauge people’s comfort level with revealing information.

These are just a few tips I can impart after reading Never Eat Alone, but if you read the entire book you’ll learn so much more about strengthening your business network and expanding you circle of influence. It’s one of the best business books I’ve read in a great while and has given me a whole new perspective on networking. Better yet, let’s get coffee and I’ll lend you my copy. (See…I’ve learned something already.)

6 ways to use a QR code to build your business

No, that graphic to the right is not an image that your web browser generated because it couldn’t find the actual picture. It’s a trusty little e-marketing device called a QR Code and, increasingly, you see it used on promotional postcards and business cards. Any smartphone user can quickly download an app to read these code in about 5 seconds and, once scanned, they can be directed to a web address.

If you didn’t know this, don’t feel bad. I’m in the marketing biz, and they just entered my radar in the last few months. Personally, I think they’re unattractive, but they are the first step in an exciting technology that unlocks unlimited potential for businesses to capitalize on the recent explosion of smartphone usage.

If you were to scan the QR code above, it would deliver your smartphone to the Mixed Media website, but this is just one possibility available with this innovation. Here are a few more:

1. Place a QR code on a promotional postcard for an upcoming event. When users scan the code have it direct to a web page that allows users to register for the event ahead of time.
2. Place a QR code that leads to your website on promotional materials, like key chains or travel coffee mugs.
3. Link a QR code on your business cards and other print materials that links to a place on your website where people can follow you on Twitter, “like” your business on Facebook, and/or sign up for your e-newsletter.
4. Run a promotional campaign with your QR codes in which users can get something for free or a discount if they fill out a form. Two caveats: give the promotion a clear deadline and keep the form short. People only want to fill out a two or three fields of information on a smartphone.
5. Instead of linking your QR code to the home page of your website, link it to the page that gets web users closer to giving you business – a page that lists contact information, collects bid information for possible work, or presents them with merchandise to purchase.
6. If you write a blog, link the QR code to your blog. Place the code on promotional flyers near a statement that says something like, “Keep up on small business marketing trends by reading the Mixed Media blog:”

Be sure to check to see how your code looks on a smartphone (or more, if possible) before you unveil it. If it links to a form, test it yourself to make sure it works and doesn’t take too long to fill out.

I’m writing this article in response to some comments from consultants who have encouraged me to shorten online content I write for joint clients since, “People don’t read online.” This is a myth that was started, I believe, by the so-called social media experts who are busily following every trend the way my cat Lily follows a fly around the room: “There it is. Oh, no! It’s over there! Oh, wait, now it’s over here.”

I still believe, however, that people read as much as they ever did, and with the advent of e-readers and tablet computers, you better believe their comfort level with length is growing all the time. In 2011, Amazon sold 105 Kindle e-books for every book sold, and given that the percentage of Americans owning at least one digital device jumped from 18% to 29% in January 2012, you can expect e-book sales to continue to surpass traditional books.

Several newspapers, including the New York Times, have adopted a “paywall” model for their online content, requiring readers who access their total content online to pay a subscription price. Since most magazines now include the tablet version for free, I’ve been reading all of the magazines I subscribe to on my iPad and giving my print versions to my friends. (Makes for way less clutter around the house, I’ve noticed.)

In 1988, a college professor told our class that our grandchildren wouldn’t know what a book was, and, though she was largely full of hot air, she may have hit the mark on that one. As more people grow comfortable reading online, you run the risk of alienating clients and prospects if you dumb down your content by shortening it or only writing in bullet forms with small paragraphs. People who like to read will always like to read, and will appreciate your content, no matter the length if it’s interesting and enlightening.

If you include stories of more than 250 words in your e-newsletter, I advise that you continue your content onto your blog, as I do with this article. This also increases the traffic to your website, which should be one of the main goals of your e-newsletter.

One thing to ask yourself is, “Who are my clients? Do they read?” If the answer is “No,” then 200 to 300 word pieces might appeal to them. If, however, your clients are well educated, thoughtful, and cerebral, they’re not only going to read longer articles, they’re going to appreciate them. If you demonstrate that you honor their intelligence with challenging articles and blog posts, these smarter clients (who, let’s face it, earn more money, on average, and have more influence over their peers) will be more likely to recommend your business to others.

Also ask yourself, “Okay, this is who my clients are now, but who do I want my clients to be?” If you’d like to step up your game and appeal to a more affluent, educated crowd, investing in longer, well written content is worth strong consideration.

Now, I’m going to pull a 180 and tell you that mixing your newsletter and blog content with shorter pieces is desirable, too. If you do catch people on a day that they’re slammed or are too tired to read or you simply want to appeal to both readers and light readers, include smaller tidbits like the “MM List” featured in Mixed Media’s newsletter or bulleted list articles designed for people prone to scanning.

Quotes and did-you-know factoids are great ways to engage scanners. In the e-newsletter I create for Bipartisan Café, I include a piece that’s around 100 words that shares an anecdote about the role of Coffee in History. (By the way, did you know that Americans’ preference for coffee over tea is linked to the Boston Tea Party, at which point it became unpatriotic to drink tea?) Upcoming events sponsored by or related to your business are great scan-friendly material, too.